The Morgan Church Devotional

a pastor's thoughts about...uhm...stuff

Name:
Location: Morgan, VT., United States

follower of Jesus. husband & father. friend. pastor.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Just 2 Things I Ask of You

Keep deception and lies far from me

we should keep lies and deception far from our lips (and minds, for that matter). we should avoid the temptation of taking the easy way out when asked a difficult question (except, maybe, the question "honey, how did you like the dinner i made?")...lying is easy. it is often cowardly and selfish. we should do our part to keep lies and deception far from ourselves.

but we need God's help in keeping other people's lies from hurting us. it stinks when some one tells a lie about you...first, you have to deal with the repercussions of the lie (how it affects other people's feelings about you) and then you have to deal with your own feelings of betrayal.

no matter how you think of it, lying stinks.

Give me neither poverty or riches

then he explains why...if i have too much, i might forget about God...maybe i would say: i've earned this...this is mine! i deserve this...this is my blessing for being such a good christian...etc. we don't want to forget God...we probably would say we wouldn't forget God...but sometimes we do.

on the other hand, if i have too little, i might be tempted to do something that would dishonor God...steal something, or lie about something...or cut corners...or some other sin of omission or commission.

maybe paul's statement of the "secret of contentment" is appropriate:

"i have learned to be content in all circumstances. i know what it is to be in need, and i know what it is to have plenty. i have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. i can do everything thru Him who gives me strength."

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

only problem with not lying is most people get upset if you give them an honest answer to a question. plus now a days you are suppose to be politically correct or your offending someones rights.

04:55  
Blogger PMike. said...

this can be true...we live in a world steeped in compromise and the need to explain things away.

one thing we didn't mention about telling the truth...we NEED to tell the truth, but we NEED to tell the truth in love--with an emphasis on in love.

06:04  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

so in other words " "

06:51  
Blogger PMike. said...

most times that's the wisest.

12:09  

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